Inaugural lecture: Prof. Sigmar Stricker

The health of skeletal muscle is central to our general well-being, and mobility is an essential prerequisite for quality of life in old age. As the body’s largest organ, skeletal muscle is essential for mobility and, at the same time, an important metabolic organ involved in homeostasis. In his inaugural lecture, Professor Stricker examines the mechanisms of homeostasis and regeneration in skeletal muscle in relation to its developmental history.

He discusses the developmental biological mechanisms underlying the formation of the musculoskeletal system, particularly the interactions between different cell types, and relates these to maintenance and regeneration in adulthood. In doing so, he highlights commonalities between both processes as well as ageing mechanisms such as the ‘epigenetic clock of ageing’ in relation to regenerative processes, and explores the question of when ageing actually begins. Particular attention is paid to potential early changes in the epigenome, which can have lifelong effects, as possible future targets for early intervention.

Professor Stricker obtained his PhD from the University of Potsdam and continued his career at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin and the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics in Berlin. In 2014, he was appointed Professor of Biochemistry and Genetics at Freie Universität Berlin. There, he devoted himself in particular to research into stem cells of the musculoskeletal system and, together with his research group, published groundbreaking studies. Professor Stricker is a member of the German Society for Developmental Biology and the Austrian Society for Stem Cell Research. In 2025, he was appointed Professor of Cell Biology at the Karl Landsteiner Private University and has since headed the department of the same name.

Please register by 6 May 2026 via the online form.